Digong accuses Marcos of ‘veering towards dictatorship’

He said he was prepared to place his bet on the matter

Former President Rodrigo Duterte delivers a speech during the Cebu People’s Indignation Rally in Mandaue City on Saturday, February 22. | CDN Digital photo / Emmariel Ares

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Former President Rodrigo Duterte said on Saturday that it would no longer come as a surprise if President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. would also declare Martial Law just like what his father, the late president Ferdinand Marcos Sr., did.

In a message that he delivered during an indignation rally in Mandaue City, Duterte said that he was prepared to place his bet on the matter.

“Si Mr. Marcos is veering towards a dictatorship. Mopusta ko sa inyo, dili na monaug pagkahuman sa iyang termino. Pareha na sa iyang tatay. Magkagubot na pud ta because ang iyang buhaton mo-declare na pog Martial Law pareho sa iyang papa,” he said.

READ: Marcos pardons Mabilog who was linked by Duterte to drug trade

(Mr. Marcos is veering towards a dictatorship. I will place my bet, he will not step down when his term ends.  He is like his father. We will again have chaos when he declares martial law just like what his father did.)

Indignation Rally

Duterte was invited by the Hakbang Maisug group to speak in front of thousands of his supporters during the gathering dubbed as the Cebu People’s Indignation Rally against impeachment, corruption, oppression, illegal drugs, and criminality.

The event that started at around 5 p.m. and lasted until midnight was held at the open grounds of the Pasilong sa Paradise in Mandaue City.

READ: Imee won’t take sides in rift between Bongbong, Sara

Duterte arrived at the venue at around 10:30 p.m.  He was greeted by local officials led by Mandaue City Mayor Glen Bercede and dismissed mayor Jonas Cortes.

Also in attended were dismissed Cebu City Mayor  Michael Rama, former Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza, SAGIP Party List Rep. Rodante Marcoleta, Lawyer Jimmy Bondoc, Lawyer Regal Oliva, Lawyer Vic Rodriguez, and Cebu gubernatorial aspirant Pamela Baricuatro.

READ: Jonas Cortes, Team Mandaue grateful for Duterte’s endorsement

Cortes was the one who introduced Duterte to the crowd, who chanted “Duterte! Duterte!”

Martial Law

During his message, Duterte took a swing at President Marcos and even accused him of planning to declare Martial Law, like what his late father did in September 1972.

The elder Marcos stayed in office until the EDSA People Power Revolution forced him to leave the country in February 1986.

READ: Rodrigo Duterte ‘kill senators’ quip: PNP-CIDG files raps vs ex-President

Duterte warned the attendees of the indignation rally that they too will experience the chaos brought about by the declaration of Martial Law as he urged the military and the police to always act based on their own moral decisions and not based on the ambitions of one person.

Moreover, the former president accused the Marcos’ administration of selling the country’s gold reserves.  What makes him even angrier is the administration’s lack of transparency on the matter, he said.

READ: Quiboloy vows death penalty for ‘corrupt’ officials if elected senator

“Sigehan nilag baligya ang atong gold hangtod karon gamay na lang kaayo. So, unsaon na lang pagtindog ang atong ekonomiya pag-abot sa panahon  masirip nila nga wala na tay back-up sa atong kwarta?” he said.

(They continue to sell our gold reserves and only very few remains. So, how will our economy recover when the times comes that we no longer have back-up funds?)

“They don’t bother to answer. And they don’t bother really to give a statement to the Filipino people,” Duterte added.

Impeachment

Before he ended his speech, Duterte endorsed local and national candidates, whom he said are critical in making sure that Vice President Sara Duterte will not be at a disadvantage during her impeachment trial.

He said that attempts to impeach his daughter was a baseless move to hinder the Vice President’s political career.

“Wala silay ikapuli og ang kontra nila si Inday. Way pildi si Inday, og modaog. So karon pa lang, gusto nilang piangan,” he said during his speech.

(They have no one else to go against Inday. Inday will never lose [in an election], she will surely win.  This early, they already wanted to cripple her.)

In a social media post, the Mandaue City Police Office said that at least 4,000 attended the Indignation rally.

Organizers gave a bigger crowd estimate as they insisted that the gathering was not a campaign rally despite the presence of various local and national candidates.